In an ESPN poll published this week, the Leafs defenceman was voted the most overrated player in the NHL by his fellow players.

Last year, in a poll of NHL players conducted by Sports Illustrated, Phaneuf was voted the most overrated. The same thing the year before.

So what’s going on? Why is Phaneuf constantly getting dissed around the NHL? Is it his on-ice demeanour? His pay grade? The fact that he’s the captain of the storied Toronto Maple Leafs? Is it because he’s married to a Hollywood actress? Or is he sneaking into guys’ kitchens in the morning and doing unspeakable things to their cornflakes? It has to be something.

Phaneuf has said in the past that he doesn’t care about polls (and, frankly, many of the sample sizes are ridiculously small), and that’s fine. But all this Dion bashing is getting a bit ridiculous. After all, what exactly does overrated mean?

To be overrated, don’t you have to be on some kind of pedestal to start with? Don’t you have to be considered some kind of superstar to be considered overrated? Not a lot of fourth-line guys are deemed to be overrated. In Phaneuf’s case, I haven’t heard too many writers or fans in this market put him on a pedestal. Generally, it’s the opposite.

Leafs fans seem to complain about Phaneuf much more than praise him. Yet he keeps being voted overrated.

Poll after poll, it’s the same thing. Last year, in a poll of 161 NHL players conducted by SI, Phaneuf was named the most overrated guy in 20 ballots. This week, in an ESPN The Magazine poll of 30 “star” NHL players, Phaneuf was again voted the most overrated player, gaining 13.3% of the vote.

Surely there’s something else at play here. There has to be a reason why the Leafs D-man keeps getting knocked on his ass by his peers. As far as I know, the man doesn’t run around the Leafs dressing room telling everyone how great he is. Maybe it has little to do with how great Phaneuf is perceived to be (or not). Maybe it’s just a lot of unfair, petty crap which has nothing to do with his play. Perhaps it something to do with the following:

1. He plays for the Toronto Maple Leafs: Phaneuf skates for the most storied franchise in the NHL, which means he gets a lot more ink and air time than most guys of his skill set in the league, meaning that there’s likely some resentment amongst his fellow players.

2. He’s captain of the Maple Leafs: This, of course, brings up unfair comparisons to past Leafs captains. And when you’re the captain of the Leafs, let’s face it, you’re on an awfully high pedestal, whether you like it or not, even if that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re the best player on the team. It means you’re supposed to be a leader. In Phaneuf’s case, it’s a cross he has to bear.

3. Phaneuf makes a lot of money ($6.5 million this season): In these times, when you make big money in pro sports, you’re supposed to be great. Phaneuf probably is overpaid, but is that his fault? Perhaps to some people, that makes him overrated.

4. He’s a defenceman who once scored 20 goals: In his rookie season, no less. For years, he’s had to live up that.

5. He gets on other players’ nerves: Phaneuf is often in the mix when things go sour and he’s known to yap at the opposition as well. He’s also been accused of being a dirty player at times. All of that certainly doesn’t win him any popularity contests with his peers.

6. Perhaps it’s his name ... Dion: Kind of a splashy, showbiz type moniker (remember Dion and the Belmonts?) Maybe if his name was Butch or Rocky or Bill, he’d garner a little more respect.

7. Hot wife, lots of jealousy: Maybe it has something to do with the fact that he’s now married to a Hollywood actress (Elisha Cuthbert). Hey, if one of my high-school pals married a Hollywood actress, who’s to say I wouldn’t harbour some deep-seated jealousies?

Why Phaneuf keeps being voted the most overrated player in the NHL is probably based on a lot of petty B.S. and not because anyone in this market has proclaimed him to be the second coming of Eddie Shore.

Sometimes being the captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

Why do NHL peers keep bashing Maple Leafs' Dion Phaneuf?

In an ESPN poll published this week, the Leafs defenceman was voted the most overrated player in the NHL by his fellow players.

Last year, in a poll of NHL players conducted by Sports Illustrated, Phaneuf was voted the most overrated. The same thing the year before.

So what’s going on? Why is Phaneuf constantly getting dissed around the NHL? Is it his on-ice demeanour? His pay grade? The fact that he’s the captain of the storied Toronto Maple Leafs? Is it because he’s married to a Hollywood actress? Or is he sneaking into guys’ kitchens in the morning and doing unspeakable things to their cornflakes? It has to be something.

Phaneuf has said in the past that he doesn’t care about polls (and, frankly, many of the sample sizes are ridiculously small), and that’s fine. But all this Dion bashing is getting a bit ridiculous. After all, what exactly does overrated mean?